Sunday, October 20, 2024

PT-2 "General Reassurance" (1 John 2:12)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/20/2024 9:30 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  PT-2 “General Reassurance”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  1 John 2:12

 

            Message of the verse:  “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven and for His name’s sake.”

 

            I want to begin by writing about the fact that there are only two spiritual families that exist from God’s perspective, and His perspective is the only one that counts.  First there are children of God and children of Satan (cf. 8:39-44).  Now God’s children do not love Satan’s family or give their allegiance to the world he controls (cf. 1 John 2:15): “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  Instead, they grow (though not all at the same rate or with equal consistency) in their love for the Lord, a love that will manifest itself in heartfelt obedience and service as seen in John 14:15 “"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

 

            John MacArthur writes “The New Testament plainly states that all believers, not matter where they are on the spiritual growth continuum, have been forgive of all their sins (1:7; Matt. 26:28; Luke 1:77; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 26:18; Col. 1:14; 2:13-14).  In fact, this truth is foundational to the evangelistic mission of the church.  Jesus told His apostles ‘that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations’ (Luke 24:47).  Peter declared to Cornelius and his companions, ‘Of Him [Christ] all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins’ (Acts. 10:43; cf. 13:38-39).  Paul attested: ‘In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace’ (Eph. 1:7; cf. 4:32; 1 John 1:7; 3:5).  Of course, this great reality of the forgiveness of sins was not new in the New Testament, but was firmly rooted in Old Testament teaching (cf. Pss. 32:1-2; 86:5; 103:3-4; Isa. 1:18-19; 43:25: 44:22).”

 

            John concluded this sentence with the reminder that God grants forgiveness to believers, not because of their own worthiness or merit, but the reason is for His name’s sake.  That expression refers to God’s glory and let me give you another list of verses to look at beginning with Deut. 28:58; Neh. 9:5; Ps. 8:1; Isa. 42:8; and 48:11), which is the overreaching reason for everything that He does.  God forgives sinners because it pleases Him to glorify His name by manifesting His superabundant grace, mercy and also His power.  As those who have been given the gift of forgiveness, and there is nothing better to receive, believers will forever praise and magnify God, (more verses to look at) (cf. 2 Cor. 4:15; Rev 5:11-13).  Still, while on earth, they are at different stages of growth, with distinguishing characteristics.

 

            That will finish our look at 1 John 2:12.

 

10/20/2024 9:28 PM

 

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